Interchangeable direct and alternating current arc-lamp.



No. 7l5,74l. Patented Dec. 16, I902.

M. H. BAKER. INTEBCHANGEABLE DIRECT AND ALTEBNATING CURRENT ARC-LAMP.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1902.]

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MALCOLM H. BAKER, OF EAST LIBERTY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPO- RATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

INTERCHANGEABLE DIRECI AND ALTERNATING CURRENT ARC-LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,741, dated December 16, 1902.

Application filed March 11 1902. Serial No. 97,699. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MALCOLM H. BAKER,

' a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Liberty, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interchangeable Direct and Alternating Current Arc-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in arc-lamps in general, and more particularly to the providing of such a structure for multiple-arc lamps as will enable them to be used with as little alteration as possible on either direct or alternating current circuits.

The invention also relates to improvements in clutches for lamps of this class.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of a lamp embodying my invention, some of the parts being removed. Fig. 2 is a detached view of a reactance device capable of being attached to the lamp. Fig. 3 is a detached view of a resistance-coil also capable of being attached to the lamp, and Fig. 4 is a detail view.

In the drawings, 1 is a cap or head, and 2 an insulating-pulley for supporting the lamp. The central portion of the lamp-frame is a tube 3, externally screw-threaded and adapted to screw into a casting 4 on the under side of the head 1.

A reactance-coil 5 is shown in Fig. 2 and a resistance-coil 6 in Fig. 3. Either of these parts can be secured at will outside the tube 3 by means of posts 7 7, which may pass through the parts and into bosses or brackets 8 8 on the under side of the head.

The tube 3 supports the usual magnet 9, while within the said tube 3 is mounted the carbon-tube 10, on which is mounted a tube 11, of iron, constituting the core of the magnet 9. The tube 10 also supports a bracket 12, to which are secured the pistons 13 13 of two dash-pots 14 14.

Inside the tube 10 is a carbon-carrier 15, covering the upper end of the upper carbon 16. On the upper end of the carbon-carrier is apost 17, about which is generally Wound a wire 18, forming a part of the connection to the upper carbon. One end of this wire is usually joined to the carbon-carrier and the other to a split cap 19, as shown.

The remainder of the upper portion of the lamp structure is made up of sheet-metal parts adapted to beautify the lamp. One of these parts, as 20, serves as a support for a glass globe 21, surrounding the arc.

The lower carbon is shown at 22, the means for its support not appearing in the drawings. The are is also surrounded by a bulb 23, the support for which is merely indicated by the spring-cushion 24. The top of the bulb 23 presses against a metallic plate 25, which may be part of the gas-check for the lamp. The plate 25 is suitably secured to an upper plate 26. Through a central opening in the two plates projects a button 27, of lava or other good insulating heat-resisting material. This button simply rests by gravity on the lower plate 25, as shown, and has a central opening through which the upper carbon 16 passes.

To the lower end of the tube 10 is secured by a set-screw 28 or otherwise a bracket 29, which forms a support for a soft-copper strip 30, holding the clutch-lever 31. The carbon 16 passes down through a circular opening in the clutch-lever 31 and is extended at its remote end, so as to press upon the top of the button 27. More strictly,the end of the clutchlever presses upon the said button when the time fortrippingtheclutohhasarrived. From the bracket 29 posts 32 32 depend, and these posts serve as supports for a bracket 33, having a curved opening 34 near its outer end. The upper carbon 16 passes through this curved opening, the mouth of which, however, is too small to permit the carbon to pass through at the side. (See Fig. 4.) In other words, sufficient pressure urging the carbon in a direction toward the left in Figs. 1 and 4 will cause the carbon 16 to press against the points at the mouth of the opening 84. If now the clutch-lever and its support be so arranged as to give a slight lateral movement to the clutch at the same time with any downward movement of the carbon while the clutch is gripping it, the carbon will be held by such pressure against the points at the of the opening 34, whereby the humcise which might take place when the u used on an alternating-current ciris avoided. This is the object of the structure already described in connection with theeiutchmechanism. The soft-copperstrip 30 has no spring ualities, but is simply a dead non-vibratory connection.

The circuit connections are those of the orary multiple lamp, and they can be easily traced on the drawings. In order to transform the lamp from a direct-current to an .ternating-ourrent lamp, or vice versa, it is if: net necessary to remove or ad ust the dash pct, these being unchanged permanent feaes of both styles of lamp. It is only neccfrary to unscrew the tiesistance-coil 6 and t the reactance device 5 in its place. Owing the weakening of the field in the use of alternating currents, the lamp goes automatically from five amperes direct current to six peres alternating current, which are the i ed standards.

The lamp burns with two solid carbons in direct-current circuits and one solid and one porous carbon in alternatin g-current circuits.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an electric-arc lamp, a movable carbon, and a clutch mechanism mounted on a non-vibrating metallic flexible support and placed in operative relation to the carbon.

2. In an electric-arc lamp, a movable electrode, and a ring clutch cooperating therewith, the said ring clutch being mounted on a non-vibratory flexible support.

3. In an electric-arc lamp, a movable electrode, a ring clutch cooperative therewith, the said ring clutch being mounted on a nonvibratory flexible support, in combination with a guide for the said electrode, said guide having limiting-bearings for the electrode.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 8th day of March, A. D. 1902.

MALCOLM H. BAKER.

Vitnesses:

WM. H. OAPEL, GEORGE E. STOOKBRIDGE. 

